R2 Thoughts for You Blogging, St. Louis Diversity and The St. Louis Bloggers Guild
St. Louis Bloggers Guild
Let’s start this posting with a little personal history about my blogging. In December of 2008, I was at a holiday party where I asked the question, “Why do you think people blog?” I also announced that I was wanting to start a weblog, aka, blog. I told them I was interested in writing for learning. I also thought it would be helpful in improving my thinking skills. I have written about this in past blogs, the most recent entitled, My Writing, Dementia and Mother.
A few days after the above mentioned holiday party, I received an e-mail from one of my friends who was at the party. She sent me the URLs for the websites of Andrew Sullivan’s, “Why I Blog” and The St. Louis Bloggers Guild. That was a helpful gesture, in that it enabled me to see many different perspectives about blogging. I first read Andrew Sullivan’s discussion of “Why I Blog” and then read some of each blog listed on the St. Louis Bloggers Guild site. I should also mention the help that I received from a Kansas City friend. She is my son’s friend and it was through their friendship that I first met her. She had started a website entitled, Dog-Eared Pages, of which I enjoyed her clear and succinct writing. Last Fall, October, 2008, I started reading her blog, entitled Dog-Eared Pages Weblog. It was her blog that precipitated my interest for writing my own blog. Thanks Sarah! It has been, and still is, a rewarding and fulfilling experience.
OK, so what are my thoughts about the St. Louis Bloggers Guild? I found the Guild and all of the members’ sites to be insightful, resourceful and diversely interesting. As mentioned above, I first went on the Guild’s site and read some of each members’ site. That enabled me to see what other local bloggers were doing and, more importantly, how they were doing it. I then created my own blog taking into consideration what I liked and disliked regarding the research done on the St. Louis Bloggers Guild site. After blogging for three months, I applied and was accepted as a member of the Guild. I am proud to be a member and hope my addition to the Guild only increases the “insightfulness, resourcefulness and diversely interestingness” of the organization.
You most likely know that St. Louis is no longer one of the biggest cities in America. So what? We are a large metropolitan area AND we are diverse. We are located in the center of the continental United States and are still considered to be the Gateway to the West. We have a national monument called the Gateway Arch. We have a diverse population, diverse weather, diverse terrain, diverse politics, diverse ideas, diverse etc., etc., …..
So what’s my point? Well, in my opinion, not only are we, in the St. Louis area, central geographically, but also “central” in diversity. I think our Gateway Arch could easily be renamed the Gateway To Diversity Arch. Now, I know there are a lot of people who don’t agree with me, but this is not about agreeing; it’s about being tolerant of differences – diversity. And, tolerant of different blogs. The St. Louis Bloggers Guild DOES have different and diverse blogs!
What are your diverse thoughts about our diverse arch and/or city? :-)
A “tip-of-the-arch” to the St. Louis Bloggers Guild. Thanks for accepting my membership.
R2 Thoughts for You 
Ron:
First of all, thanks for your kind words. It’s been a treat to see your blog evolve. I am thrilled and send my biggest congrats your way. That’s very exciting to hear you are now a part of the STL Bloggers Guild. Your blog has been an inspiration to all of us and I can’t wait for what’s yet to be written – break a typing finger!
All the best-
Sarah
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Ron,
You do a great job. You and I have been friends a long time and I gotta say, somewhere over the last 40 years you learned how to write. You might even get a passing grade from Professor Thomas in “Term paper” now.
Oh, also I had to smile when I read your words, “Now, I know there are a lot of people who don’t agree with me,”, because this particular fact has never kept you from holding an opinion.
Keep learning ole buddy!
Rich
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Dad,
Congratulations on becoming part of the St. Louis Bloggers Guild. That was fast.
I just wanted to say that reading your writing has led to a deeper understanding of who I am and why I think the way that I do. It is a wonderful thing realizing how much you instilled in me by example over the thirty some years it has been since you brought me into this world.
Thank you; both for putting your thoughts to “paper” and for being the single most influential figure in my life.
And congratulations again.
Love,
Erik
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